Concrete block handling tool



Sept. 22, 1953 F. LOOZE, 2,652,715

CONCRETE BLOCK HANDLING TOOL Filed NOV. 17, 1949 ATTORNEY Patented Sept.22, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONCRETE BLOCK HANDLING TOOL LouisF. Looze, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application November 17, 1949, Serial No. 127,955

2 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in toolsor implements for facilitating the handling and laying of concrete andlike building blocks.

It has for one of its objects to provide a tool of this character whichis so designed and constructed as to not only facilitate the manuallifting and handling of the blocks but to assure the laying of theblocks in properly spaced and alined relation both vertically andhorizontally of the building wall.

Another object of the invention is to provide a block handling toolwhich is simple, compact, rugged and inexpensive in construction, andwhose parts are so organized as to expedite the laying of the blocksuniformly and to render the tool readily'adjustable when picking up ablock for laying and for its release from the block after laying.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed outin'the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the tool embodying my invention.Figure 2 is an enlarged end view thereof, partly in section. Figure 3 isa sectional plan view thereof taken on line 3-3, Figure 2. Figure 4 isan enlarged, fragmentary front view of the releasable means forgoverning the vertical spacing between the blocks. Figure 5 is anenlarged cross section taken on line 55, Figure 3.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

In its general organization the tool consists of a laterally-expansibleand rigid frame to releasably receive and grip a standard type ofconcrete, cinder or similar composition building block and having fixedmeans thereon for gaging and predetermining the endwise spacing andlongitudinal alinement of the blocks as they are laid in courses, andadjustable or releasable means for gaging the vertical spacing of theblocks in mortar line relation to the subjacent blocks.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, theframe is of open rectangular design composed of laterally-spaced uprightfront and rear end bars or legs I0, I l and upper and lower longitudinalside bars [2, l3 suitably fixed to the latter in rigid fashion. Risingfrom the upper ends of the companion end bars and in crossed relationare companion suspension arms or extensions [4 pivoted intermediatetheir ends to each other at I5 and to the 2 ends of a longitudinalhandle bar I6 spanning the end bars [0, ll. Beyond their pivots thesesuspension arms are pivotally connected by links I! to the ends of ahandle bar I8 companion and parallel to the bar l6, so that by graspingthe handle bars with one hand and drawing them together the frame iscaused to expand to an open position to receive a block for laying orrelease a block after laying. Substantially at the junction of the crossarms M with their companion pendant side bars I0, H and yieldinglyconnecting the same are transversely-disposed springs l9 which normallyserve to urge and retain the frame in its contracted position and inclamping relation to the block during handling,

Adjacent the upper end of the frame at its front end and preferablyformed integrally with the corresponding ends of the upper side bars I2are longitudinal extensions or tongues 20 which project beyond theframe-bars I0 and which are adapted to abut laterally against theopposite sides of an adjoining laid block as the frame carrying theblock about to be laid is brought into endwise relation to such laidblock, as shown in Figure 3, to thereby assure proper longitudinalalinement of the blocks as they are laid endwise one against the other.To properly space the blocks in endwise relation and to provide a mortarspace therebetween, the front ends of the lower side bars l3 extendbeyond the companion upright bars l0 and terminate in inwardly-directedor lateral lugs 2| which are adapted to abut against the opposing end ofa laid block as the block borne by the frame and about to be laid isbrought into an operative block-laying position. It will be noted thatthe lower ends 22 of the upright bars I0, I I, when the frame is in ablock-laying position, extend below the mortar space provided betweensuperposed blocks and overlie the upper opposite sides of the subjacentblock to provide lateral bearing gages which function to aline theblocks vertically as they are laid.

For the purpose of effecting a proper vertical spacing of the blocks ina true horizontal position to receive the mortar for the horizontaljoints. the frame is provided with displaceable gaging elements 23 whichserve to properly support the frame-carried block about to be laid andafter being laid are adapted to be displaced to a position to readilyeffect the release of the tool from the weight of the block so as tothereafter enable the tool to be freely expanded and removed fromoperative engagement with the laid block. Four of these displaceablegaging elements are provided, one at the lower end of each of the endbars I9, I l and below the lateral lugs 2|, and each faces inwardly andis attached to a trunnion 24 free to revolve about a horizontal axis inits companion bar and having a crank arm 25 fixed on its outer end. Thecrank arms at each side of the frame are pivotally connected by links 26to the opposite ends of a swiveling and axiallyshiftable actuatinghandle 27 fulcrumed centrally thereof on a horizontal pivot 28 fixed tothe middle portion of the companion lower side bar !3. As shown inFigure 5, the latter is channeled, as indicated at 29, to normallyreceive and retain the handle 2'? in its normal position, shown by fulllines in Figures 1 and 4, and a spring 30 coiled about the pivot 28 andbearing atone end against a head 3| thereon and at its other end againstthe opposing face of the handle normally retains the latter in itschannel-engagin horizontal position with the gaging elements 23 in theirvertical block-sustaining position. As depicted in Figures 1 and 4,these angularly displaceable elements are of substantially flatrectangular or web-like shape, so that when they are displaced to theposition shown by dotted lines in Figure 4, they are clear of edgewisecontact with the opposing faces of superposed blocks, and when the frameis expanded these elements will freely disengage from between theblocks.

The lower ends of the upright bars 10, H and the ends of the horizontalbar-extensions 25 may be flared outwardly, as shown, to facilitateguiding the frame with a block borne thereby into alining vertical andhorizontal relation with the adjoining blocks already laid.

I claim as my invention:

1. A tool of the character described, comprising an expansible frame forreleasable engagement with a building block and including uprightlaterally-spaced pivotally-mounted end bars and upper and lowerlongitudinal side bars fixed thereto, block-alining means depending fromsaid end bars and longitudinally at one end from the upper side bars forfacial alining contact, respectively, with the opposite sides of anadjoining subjacent laid block and with the companion sides of anendwise alined block, blockspacing lugs projecting laterally inward fromone end of the lower side bars beyond the adjacent end bars for abuttingcontact with the end of an adjoining laid block for gaging the end wisemortar-receiving space between blocks, and angularly displaceable gageelements of greater height than width mounted in opposing relationadjacent the lower ends of said end bars for releasably supporting theblock within the frame during handling and for gaging the mortar spacebetween the subjacent laid block and the block about to be laid, andlink means applied to each lower side bar and operatively connected tocompanion gage elements for actuating them in unison to their respectiveblock-supporting and gaging positions.

2. A tool of the character described, comprising an expansible frame forreleasable engagement with a building block and including uprightlaterally-spaced pivotally-mounted end bars and upper and lowerlongitudinal side bars fixed thereto, block-alining means depending fromsaid end bars and longitudinally at one end from the upper side bars forfacial alining contact, respectively, with the opposite sides of anadjoining subjacent laid block and with the comp-anion sides of anendwise alined block, block-spacing lugs projecting laterally inwardfrom one end of the lower'side bars beyond the adjacent end bars forabuttin contact with the end of an adjoining laid block for gaging theendwise mortar-receiving space between blocks, angularly displaceableelements mounted in opposing relation adjacent the lower ends of saidend bars for releasably supportin the block within the frame duringhandling and for gaging the mortar space between the subjacent laidblock and the block about to be laid, an actuating handle swivellymounted centrally on each lower side bar and operatively connected tothe companion gaging elements for governing their displacementto andfrom a block-releasing position.

LOUIS F. LOOZE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 814,926 Weiss Mar. 13, 1906 1,524,622 Jewasinski et a1. Jan.27, 1925 1,541,616 Boggs June 9, 1925 1,573,263 Madden Feb. 16, 19262,543,716 Carini Feb. 27, 1951 2,543,717 Carini Feb. 27, 1951

